Air compressing system and process

Abstract

The invention relates to an air compressing system in which ambient air is drawn through a turbine driven flow-thru compressor into the intake of a primary compressor, and the hot effluent from the primary compressor is utilized to provide superheated vapor to drive the turbine.

I claim: 
     
       1. An air compressor comprising; (a) a primary compressor;   (b) a prime mover for driving said primary compressor;   (c) a high speed flow-thru compressor;   (d) a turbine for driving said flow-thru compressor;   (e) means for channeling the output of said flow-thru compressor into the intake of said primary compressor;   (f) heat exchange means for extracting heat of compression from the effluent of said primary compressor;   (g) a closed liquid vapor cycle including a condensor, a boiler, and said turbine;   (h) said boiler being thermally connected with said heat exchange means whereby the heat of compression is transferred to the liquid-vapor medium in said cycle, and the mass of said liquid, the boiling point thereof, and the latent heat of vaporization thereof being such that the heat of compression will convert said liquid into a super-heated vapor in a quantity and a pressure sufficient to drive said turbine.   
     
     
       2. A process for compressing air comprising the steps of: drawing ambient air through a high-speed, flow-through compressor driven by a turbine into a primary compressor driven by a prime mover independent of said turbine, generating superheated vapor for driving said turbine by means of the heat of compression of the primary compressor, and expanding said superheated vapor in said turbine to drive said flow-thru compressor. 
     
     
       3. An air compressing system comprising (a) a primary compressor;   (b) a prime mover for driving said primary compressor;   (c) a high speed flow-thru compressor;   (d) a turbine for driving said flow-thru compressor;   (e) means for channeling the output of said flow-thru compressor into the intake of said primary compressor;   (f) heat exchanger means for extracting heat of compression from the effluent of said primary compressor;   (g) a closed liquid vapor cycle including a condensor, a boiler, and said turbine;   (h) said boiler being thermally connected with said heat exchange means whereby the heat of compression is transferred to the liquid-vapor medium in said cycle, and the mass of said liquid, the boiling point thereof, and the latent heat of vaporization thereof being such that the heat of compression will convert said liquid into a super-heated vapor in a quantity and a pressure sufficient to drive said turbine; in which the primary compressor is one in which a sealant liquid is cycled through the compressor, cooled, separated from the compressed effluent, and returned to said primary compressor; and in which the cooling of said sealant liquid is effected at least in part by heat exchange with condensed said liquid-vapor medium.   
     
     
       4. An air compressing system of claim 3 in which said boiler comprises a preheater and a superheater and in which said heat exchange means comprises means for effecting heat exchange in said preheater with hot sealant liquid and means for effecting heat exchange in said superheater with hot compressed gas.